They can readily picture to themselves a centaur or a cerberus, a mermaid or a dragon, -- creatures which have no existence, and which never did exist; but a little reflection will shew, that nothing which the mind conceives of these supposed animals is really new, but is merely a new combination of elements, or parts of other animals, already familiar.

Regardless of who can claim the identity of the original patient (and I feel that discussion muddies the argument, and cerberus has done a fantastic job of pointing out its irrelevance), the patient dies and ceases to be.

Unplug the cerberus dog and let's build a new government that is less tyrannical and that actually has a death penalty provision for those who pledge fealty to Israel or any other foreign nation, over this one.